About two weeks ago, an incident happened at Vashon Community Care that was an eye-opening experience. A visiting consultant had a medical emergency, and 911 was called. While our staff was doing CPR, a nurse and I attempted to call this person’s emergency contact. And that’s when our learning began. We were unable to access the contact list in the phone, nor was information available in the wallet on whom to call. Not knowing a person’s personal information made the work of the emergency responders much more difficult.

Special kudos go to the outstanding staff at VCC and in particular Donna Zaglin, RN; Kimberly Benner, RN; Jane Gill, OT and Kerry Barnes, LPN. Thanks to their incredible effort and calm in the case of a life-threatening emergency, the consultant is now home with her family.

They are true heroes!

So what did we learn? Not only that CPR can save a life, but how important it is to be able to access personal information. Now that so many people carry “smart phones” that have security codes to unlock them, it is no longer a simple process to determine whom to call in case of emergency.

VCC recommends that everyone carry a card in his or her wallet that indicates whom to call in case of emergency. Hopefully it will never need to be used, but think how thankful you and your family will be if there is ever an emergency.

— Naomi Goldick